When I mentioned “fundamentally the same,” I had in mind the fact that, for the most part, air, rail, and bus fares in China are distance-based and regulated by the government. Chinese air carriers have more leeway to operate in a deregulated U.S.-like environment because they are allowed to discount. Full fares on many domestic Chinese routes are identical across all carriers competing on those routes.

But vering back to topic, stand-by is really an American institution that control-infatuated China will not allow for its public.